Project Description

Published December 1, 2024

 

At Companion Health, every success story is unique. When Jeremy J. first joined our functional medicine practice after a CEO summit, he didn’t realize his health journey would inspire his wife Jessica to find her own path to wellness. Their story showcases how personalized medicine can address different health challenges – from cardiovascular health to hormone balance – even within the same household.

 

Recognizing the Need for Change

Significant others have an amazing ability to impact our health. Often they are around us a majority of the time and know us well, so when things are “off,” they have a chance to be our advocate. Such was the case with the Johnsons.

Jeremy had joined Companion Health initially. Though he admits he’s always been in pretty good health, hearing Dr. Jorge speak at a CEO summit piqued his interest. “I probably should have started it sooner,” he says, looking back. “My family has some CVD issues, so I wanted to try to get ahead of that if possible. You can’t do that by waiting until something happens! You have to focus on prevention.”

 

Embarking on the Health Journey

Jeremy’s Reality Check

Turns out, Jeremy had some areas to focus on. “My cholesterol was high. My inflammatory markers, which I didn’t appreciate the importance of, were also high. I was also heavier than I’d like to be,” he shares. But Jeremy came in with a focus on bettering himself, and so that’s just what he did. 

Fast forward not even 12 months:

• His cholesterol is down from 245 to below 200
• He’s lost close to 20 lbs
• His pants fit better, by a loop or two
• At 47 years old, he’s gaining muscle vs. fat

 

Overcoming Challenges Together

Spreading the Love

Experiencing positive changes was one thing for Jeremy, but despite her efforts, his wife Jessica wasn’t experiencing the same. “I was trying to get back to my pre-baby size. Around that same time, we ran a half-marathon and immediately afterwards, I hurt my back,” she says “I went from running 15 to 20 miles per week, to barely walking, much less doing any sort of workout!”

Jeremy suggested Jessica try a different approach for multiple reasons. “She’s responsible for the cooking and grocery shopping. Initially speaking, for me to be committed and make changes, it would be easier for her to be committed, too.” Additionally, he admits it would be better for an expert to provide her knowledge versus him trying to tell her.

 

Noom: Not the Right Solution

“I had done Noom before and the first  time it was amazing,” Jessica remembers. “That time, I lost 12 lbs right away, in about 2 months. But then Covid hit, and everything went off the rails.” This time, Noom didn’t get those initial desired pounds off. “I had to type in what I was eating, I was always on the run, and it was too hard to track. Even though I was eating less and consuming fewer and fewer calories, I wasn’t losing weight!”

 

A New Approach with Companion Health

Anya Wallace, PA-C learned about Jessica’s current situation and health goals in their 90-minute initial appointment. Armed with this knowledge, Anya explained how hormones work, how they are impacted by stress, and what Jessica’s body was going through at 44 years old. “She explained things that made sense and why some things that I was doing were not working,” Jessica recalls.

Checking hormones was first on Anya’s list, but not far behind was getting a sense of what was going on with Jessica’s gut. “While her hormones were her complaint, her gut was the issue: balanced gut health is vital to hormone and brain health (and everything else). Without a healthy gut, she couldn’t detoxify hormones correctly, and inflammation in the gut = inflammation everywhere. Inflammation can make hormone symptoms much, much worse.” 

The gut test indicated that Jessica needed to avoid gluten – a change that she admits has been “life-changing.” Anya also advised Jessica to cut back on excessive cardio and focus more on strength training.

“Cardio has its benefits and certainly shouldn’t be neglected, however the type of cardio she was doing was way too taxing to the body,” Anya explains. Additionally, she wasn’t feeding her body what it needed, consuming too few calories, not enough protein, etc. It was doing more harm than good.” 

 

The Power of Shared Commitment

Though their journeys have been different, both Jeremy and Jessica are on a path to feeling their best. They both came in with different issues and health goals, and by supporting each other and making lifestyle changes together, they were able to overcome their individual challenges.

As Jeremy saw success, his wife Jessica also decided to make some changes. While the Johnsons faced different health challenges, their journeys became intertwined. With their shared commitment to wellness, the Johnsons began to see remarkable transformations – not just in their physical health, but in their overall wellbeing.

This couple’s story illustrates the power of shared commitment to health and wellness. By supporting each other and making lifestyle changes together, they were able to overcome their individual challenges and embark on a journey toward greater vitality. This underscores how the right partner can be our greatest ally in achieving optimal health. When we work alongside our loved ones to prioritize our vitality, the results can be truly profound.